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Advice for setting up new freshwater, tropical, planted tank

Hi. I'm pretty new at this and was wondering what advice someone might have on setting up a new aquarium.

I recently obtained a 29g tank and a heater and would like to set up a freshwater community tropical tank. I'd like to plant the tank, but I don't know what I should do for cycling it.

The end goal would be to have some small schools of smaller fish (guppies/tetras/platties) and a nice planted environment with some driftwood.

Where I am at right now is that I have the tank, filter, heater, hood & light fixture, and a stand. I chose not to buy substrate or plants or decoration until I found out a bit more.

Should I but the plant substrate and plants (plus a plant light) and just put them all in there to cycle the tank? Should I wait until I have my driftwood soaked and ready to put in before cycling? Also, I read somewhere that adding a raw shrimp (from the grocery store) is a good way to have constant levels of ammonia released into the tank. Is this a good fish-less cycling method?

This is the best method of cycling; http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aqua...ead.php?t=5640 If you can't find ammonia without additives then shrimp will work, but it's difficult to maintain proper ammonia levels with shrimp. With guppies, tetra, and platys it will be fine to set up the tank and get it cycled. If you want bottom dwellers you will want to research them a bit before you buy a substrate, some will prefer sand and others will do fine with gravel.

If it's called tourist season why can't I shoot them?
Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes that reason is you are stupid and make bad decisions. I think my fish is adjusting well to the four gallon, He's laying on his side attempting to go to sleep on the bottom of the gravel.
A moderator on a fish forum should be able to identify an oscar... Don't you think?

Cory's will appreciate sand, but if you can find a small rounded gravel that will work ok. It's fine to set up the tank with everything but the fish, then do the fish-less cycle from the link I gave you in my first post here.

If it's called tourist season why can't I shoot them?
Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes that reason is you are stupid and make bad decisions. I think my fish is adjusting well to the four gallon, He's laying on his side attempting to go to sleep on the bottom of the gravel.
A moderator on a fish forum should be able to identify an oscar... Don't you think?

I want to add that cory's don't keep the bottom clean, they do forage around the bottom for food, but keeping the tank clean is your job.

If it's called tourist season why can't I shoot them?
Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes that reason is you are stupid and make bad decisions. I think my fish is adjusting well to the four gallon, He's laying on his side attempting to go to sleep on the bottom of the gravel.
A moderator on a fish forum should be able to identify an oscar... Don't you think?

Planting isn't as difficult as some people think. My advice would be, plan! Sketch, think, sketch some more. My current tank (see below) took about 6 weeks of planning and I put most of it together in a single weekend.